Testimonials And Reviews

I've been encouraging all my writing buddies to check out this service. To get a critique AND fifteen minutes with an industry professional for such a reasonable price is like, unheard of. Out of all the other critique services I looked into before signing up, Manuscript Academy totally gives you the best bang for your buck. I of course was an awkward nervous wreck and talking a mile a minute, but Eric is amazing. He took my steam-rolling him with questions all in stride, and gave lots of down to earth, wonderful advice. He quickly helped me realize that most of my worries over the business side of publishing were unfounded. I also appreciated that he took the time to read my pages before our meeting, allowing me to pepper him with questions over email before we "met" over Skype. I left our meeting feeling far more confident and prepared to begin the querying process. If I am unable to get an agent with this MS, I plan to use this service again in the future! THANK YOU!!!!!

The ten-minute query-page consultation with the astute Hannah Robinson was full of good humor and good advice. Hannah made several helpful suggestions for improvement, and I feel that I and my query letter greatly benefitted from our cordial discussion. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to consult with such a fine editorial professional.

Rachel was fantastic. I received more clarity about my query letter during my brief consultation with her than I have in all the articles I've read and the webinars I've attended. I feel much more confident now about how to revise it so I can start sending it to agents. Rachel also was generous with her time and called me back after my phone disconnected itself, as it is prone to do. I can't recommend her highly enough.

Jessica was extremely thorough, professional and compassionate in helping me to improve my query letter. The day after I took her precise and useful notes and revised my query, I got a full request for my manuscript as well as a note from an agent that my query letter was SOLID. The proof is in the pudding, and Jessica is a gem.

I had a blast talking to Samantha Wekstein! She is so fun and had great advice about improving my query. Where else would a budding writer like me have the ability to talk to such a stellar agent? Thank you Manuscript Academy!

Stephanie provided constructive, actionable feedback on my query letter and pages. Very helpful and I am working on incorporating the changes that she suggested.

I had a 15 minute live meeting with Stephanie about my first 10 pages. She gave me very concise feedback on my writing, as well as information about how different agents think about these pages. We also discussed markets (literary, upmarket, historical, etc.), as my work sits between at least three. Leaving the meeting, I felt I had what I needed to revise my pages, as well as position my work in my query letter. I appreciate that Stephanie's critique included what was and wasn't working, and that she was very clear about why in both cases. Thank you.

I enjoyed talking to Caitlyn. She was highly analytical and professional. Her reading was astute--she picked out inconsistencies and unclear spots in a piece of writing I have read at least 300 times. She helped me see the writing from the point of view of the reader, which is not always easy to do. She clearly really thought about the piece and packed in a lot in 15 minutes. I would of course love to work with her as I came away from our meeting eager to rethink not just the first ten pages but parts of the whole thing.

Jennifer was incredibly thorough with my query critique. She went through it line by line to let me know what she felt was working and what could be fine-tuned. She also provided a few short details on why some areas had confused her. It was exactly what I needed. I filled an entire page with notes while I listened to her and felt confident moving forward with editing my query when we were finished. I am SO happy I met with her!!! Thank you, Manuscript Academy, for this connection!

I had a meeting with John Cusick to go over my MG query letter. He was very helpful. We refined comps, edited the second summary paragraph, and he answered questions. I definitely recommend him.

Jessica was awesome! She gives specific feedback, is personable, and clearly is very knowledgeable about what she does. If you want to have a positive, helpful, and fun conversation— she’s your gal.

While my picture book manuscript has gone through several critiques, edits and rewrites, I had not done the same for my query letter. Jessica Sinsheimer pinpointed out my letters’ strong points along with areas where it needed improvement. Her advice was spot-on. I highly recommend a consolation with her. After all, you can have the perfect manuscript, but if your letter doesn’t grab an agent’s attention they may not bother with your book.

I sent Renee my first page of the novel that I will be ready to query this fall. She loved it and asked me to send her the full manuscript when it's ready. I'm stoked!

Julie & Jessica, I know you hear this all the time, but I am so grateful for these Manuscript Academy workshops. I learn so much. I would not have gotten this information anywhere else. I like that I don't have to log in at a specific time and can pop in and out of the class throughout the day. The biggest takeaway from this session was that the sample pages need to support what is promised in the query letter. I'm looking forward to more of these classes. Also, they are an amazing value!
Judy Hock

My talk with Danielle Chiotti was nothing short of inspirational–and it was absolutely motivational! She was cheerful, inquisitive and well-prepared. I got several very concrete pieces of advice that transformed the query I had been struggling with. I now feel confident about sending the revised one out. What more could a writer ask for?

Stephanie Winter is an amazing and VERY talented agent. She offered such detailed and refined advice that truly strengthened my writing. She is sweet, welcoming, and enthusiastic. 10/10 would recommend to EVERYONE!

Like miracles and angels getting their wings, I am sure every time Fiona Kenshole speaks, another writer gets published. You can't help but level up your writing every time you listen to Fiona; expect to learn 10-12 things that will give you immediate knowledge for how to execute a new awesome plan taking you into your greatness as a writer.

John critiqued my opening pages, and I was so impressed, I decided to hire him to critique my query. His feedback, along with the feedback I received from other Manuscript Academy faculty, was so insightful. I'm so pleased to see it all coming together now in a much stronger query that more clearly conveys the heart of my book. Thank you so much, John! And thank you, Manuscript Academy, for having such an incredible faculty!

All the events and classes Julie and Jessica put on are tops but Fiona topped TOPS! I came away feeling eager and inspired after having had many days of, "Why am I doing this?"

Caitlyn was so fantastic in this follow-up chat; I'd met with her several months ago and got to work on revising my query based her feedback. To have the opportunity to share the revised version with her--and then dig a little deeper still!--was just immensely helpful. Thank you!!

Jessica was great! She gave me commentary not only on the overall state of my picture book manuscript, but also specific items for me to tweak. She was incredibly helpful, and I highly recommend her!

Melissa was very prepared and got right into the heart of what needed to be addressed in my first 10 pages. Fifteen minutes goes by quickly, and she was able to give me highly workable action items on my pages and my query.

I recently had a consultation with Molly Cusick regarding the first 10 pages of my manuscript. At first I was nervous, as I wasn't sure if she was going to be harsh, and I didn't know what to expect. I'm extemely pleased to say that she was kind, encouraging and provided amazing feedback. All of the ideas she gave for improving my work, had the gears in my head turning and had me thinking- I can't wait to make these changes! Everything she brought up were ways to elevate my pages and strengthen my work, I never felt as if she was cutting my writing down. Aside from the helpful feedback, she made me feel confident about my work, encouraging where the story would fit in the market and going out of her way to answer all of my questions. I never felt rushed out of the conversation, and she was engaging and helpful throughout the whole phone call. It was truly a pleasure having a consultation with her, and I would consider it an honor to ever work with, or recieve feedback from Molly Cusick in the future.

I hired Caitlin for fifteen minutes to fix a problem after several agent rejections on the first ten pages. It was a problem I feared the pages had, but wasn't sure how to fix them myself, and my beta-readers thought it all seemed fine. In just fifteen minutes, Caitlin was able to help me fix the problem, as well as fix a couple extra problems I hadn't known about at all. I appreciated that it was not a session full of compliments--we got a lot done in that small amount of time. Money well spent. I believe it will probably save my future queries.

My consultation with Rachel was just what I need at the moment - direct feedback from an experienced industry professional. To date, my writing has been a creative brain to paper exercise, which has been rewarding. Rachel's review of my first ten pages, and subsequent consultation, provided me with guidance on structure, and the show don't tell writing style that I have been eagerly searching for. I hope some day to be an accomplished author of MG novels. Even then, I am sure that I would still learn a lot from Rachel.

It truly was one of the most -- maybe the most -- enjoyable webinar I've ever attended. The time flew by. Fiona has a wonderful way of articulating writing concepts. "Feel don't Show" was a favorite. Her discussion of immediacy was another. And I loved the writing exercise -- looking for your phone. She is simply a delightful human!

I loved the writing exercises and the positivity! I walked away with an appreciation for emotional connections as a transportive sort of thing - the connections that make a character and relationship more real and give them a sense of history and reality. Non-linear structure aside, this was well worth my time, and I'm really glad I signed up for it.

Hannah was very helpful in responding to my questions and addressing areas where I could improve my writing. She gave me confidence in my ability to make my memoir what I want it to be.

Caitlin's feedback was incredibly valuable, and from the short conversation I can already see many opportunities to improve both my manuscript and my query letter. I would definitely recommend this to any author, especially those going the traditional publishing route.

I had a helpful conversation with Andrea. She answered my questions honestly and thoroughly. Despite my nerves, her accessibility put me at ease and allowed us to get through several of the subjects I'd hoped to touch on. Turns out ten minutes gives you a good bit of time to learn! I'm glad I did this.

I was so excited to have a 10 minute call with Caitie because she was one of the agents who liked my #DVPIT tweet back in October. She loved my MC's voice, which was so affirming for me. Caitie also gave me solid tips to strengthen my opening page.

I'm in the middle of an R&R for another agent, so it really helped when I asked her for tips on that. She helped me see that there really isn't a 'time limit' per se for my R&R. Caitie believes in my story enough to wait for my strongest version, so she'll wait for me to resubmit my revised first 50 pages to her. I am so, so, grateful and delighted I got to have such a lovely Skype call with her. Thank you, Caitie and Manuscript Academy!

Sometimes, you want information, sometimes feedback, sometimes notes, sometimes encouragement, sometimes just to relate to a likeable human person. I wanted feedback (what's not working!) and notes (ideas, suggestions, language to use). I got all that, plus a bit of encouragement--which is always welcome-- and a very likeable human person. 🙂 I really enjoyed the Submission Strategy session hosted by Jessica and Julie this past summer, and hoped to benefit from Jessica's knowledge of the industry as well as her artful interpretation of how agents think, to help me understand what's wrong with a query that hasn't been successful. I got suggestions for 1) what genre to pitch 2) focal areas of my narrative to emphasize, 3) what to leave out, and 4) whether it was my pages or my query that's been the main problem. Maybe more importantly: enjoyed our conversation.

I took part in Fiona Kenshole's Picture Book workshop and had the most wonderful experience. Fiona is clearly a seasoned pro in the writing world. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable, but she was able to convey the information in a way that was fun and inspirational. I walked away from the experience, more motivated and better prepared to write, revise and pursue publishing.

Whether you are a new or seasoned writer, trying to get published or write as a hobby, a workshop from The Manuscript Academy is a must. And I would highly recommend Fiona Kenshole if you have a chance to take one of her classes or book a consultation or critique.

I booked a 15-minute consultation with Fiona, and it was exactly what I needed. She delivered a clear, straightforward, and direct critique with incredible warmth and encouragement. Our time flew by, but I felt like she packed in so much insight advice that it might as well have been an hour! I'm extremely grateful, and so glad that I took the plunge and booked a slot.

John was so helpful, courteous, and encouraging! I really enjoyed our chat (which FLEW by!) and I got so much out of it. I can tell he is very knowledgeable and experienced.

Each critique I’ve had with Manuscript Academy has provided new insights. Alyssa Jennette asked me numerous thoughtful questions to help me narrow down the main points for my query. She shared what attracts an agent and what is not necessary to mention. I found her critique extremely practical.

Kimberley rang right on time and straight away I knew I was going to enjoy talking to her. She was really easy to talk to and listened to what I wanted to ask. At one stage the line dropped out and she immediately rang me back. She gave good advice and tips for moving forward. I would have no hesitation in talking to her again and it was lovely to chat to someone so professional and understanding. I now have some points to follow up on. Thanks for the chance to talk to someone in the business and I look forward to what opportunities I will connect with next at The Manuscript Academy.
Thanks from Rhonda Forrest (Australian author)

It was a great pleasure chatting with Fiona. She was spot-on about my submission and gave me wonderful pointers and advice - plus she's a dog lover so my pup, Zinnia, was invited into the Zoom and enjoyed meeting her as well!

My meeting with Ms. Bishop was excellent. It was my second meeting with her. For the first meeting, my query was terrible and she pointed that out and gave me suggestions. I did what she asked and in our second meeting she acknowledged that my second effort was much better. She gave me a few tweaks and answered all my questions like a professional.

My consultation with Eric Smith was excellent. I'd been told by other writers that he is kind, informative, and patient, and I was very pleased to find that was 100% true. Querying and pitching agents can be a very daunting (and sometimes mysterious) process, so it was a relief to have a low-stress talk with an expert, to ask questions and get feedback and insight from someone with an insider's perspective. I'm very glad I made the investment and highly recommend it to other writers!

Although I'd shown my adult sci-fi manuscript to a couple waves beta readers, including Meetups and a writer's retreat workshop with an industry editor, this live session was a great experience. Foremost, Kiana Nguyen provided unique advice about starting the novel at a different point in the event timeline. She provided solid rationale, and even kindly offered a sentence stem to kick off with. Two days later, I had a first draft to show my Meetup, and seven out of eight readers-- both new and old-- preferred the new beginning. Apart from that, Kiana also offered detailed thoughts on weaker and problematic word choices, and how to get the story feeling more appropriate to the timeline. Unexpectedly, she also went the extra mile and sent written notes, including suggestions for my query letter. When Kiana's recommendations conflicted with other beta readers, that was also really informative. A good reminder of subjectivity, and how agents have specific approaches. Mind you, she also said nice things about my premise and certain passages. She was extremely friendly, reassuring, emphasized the need to write frim the POV/style/etc. that one prefers rather than focusing on 'the most commercially viable' strategy. Also, she was communicative when we had technical problems at the start, and shared neat opinions about representing racial minorities in fiction. I can't emphasize how nervous I was at the beginning, but I'm so glad I signed up!

After tossing one frustrating draft after another of my query letter, I decided to try the Manuscript Academy's critique service. I'm glad I did. After following the advice Mr. Smith gave me, I was able to fix the errors in my query letter, and finally create one I could feel confident in. He was approachable, took care to answer my questions thoroughly, and made sure to explain not just what I should do, but why I should do it.

Caitlin was wonderful! She reviewed my query with me and gave me great insight into how to integrate "industry standard" pieces, such as comps. We also discussed how important specificity is in a query and she helped me identify places where my language was vague. She was a great manager of time, making sure to leave enough time for me to ask questions at the end after sharing her thoughts. I am excited to rework my query and think it will be stronger thanks to her advice.

I had a 10-minute phone consult with John Cusick and I couldn’t be happier. Talking to John was like being given a pep talk by your favorite coach growing up. That wily coach that knew how to bring out the very best in their players with kindness, compassion, wisdom and a sense of humour. That coach that still has their skin in the game (John is a successful writer) and still knows all the craftiest plays and sneaks. And he knows how to best wrap an injury (even if it’s just your ego). That coach that has you play to your strengths but doesn’t fail to point out your weaknesses. Get some critique coaching from John. You may not win ... but at least you’ll still enjoy playing the game.

I’m so glad I had this consultation. I was a little nervous when I first signed up but Linda was personable and put me immediately at ease. She gave thoughtful feedback and answered my questions, and we laughed a bit, making for a very open and friendly experience.

Megan gave me great feedback and suggestions on my query. In ten minutes, she helped me with clarifying my novels plot lines leading to a cliffhanging ending.

I would highly recommend her.

As an author taking a plunge and meeting with literary agents is a leap that can be scary. An author needs to take every bit of advice and sift through it, like a fine cookie recipe. Sift, Sift, mix, add a little here, and a little there. Here and there definitely describes the 15 minute consultation I received with Megan Barnard. Her thoughts, and written notes, and line edits, were well worth the time and fee. She brought numerous details to me and covererd a lot of ground, which I couldn't see very clearly at first. Sift and sift. That's what I did afterwords, and thought about adding more detail here and there throughout the beginning of the manuscript to make the flow better, while also capturing my Mrs. Eula's true essence. Megan's fascination with the true depiction of my main character prompted me to realize readers are our best critics. She really understood Mrs. Eula and the problem she faced, suggesting there needed to be a more chronological flow at beginning. I appreciate my meeting with Megan, and without a doubt, it was time well spent. I dearly love Manuscript Academy, it's the link I've been missing throughout my novel journey. Writers need critiques from agents who have never seen your manuscript before. That's the beauty of Manuscript Academy!

Caitlin is awesome. I've spoken to her twice now and her feedback is so on-point and specific, while always being kind and upbeat. She's a terrific advisor and I bet she'd make an excellent agent, for anyone lucky enough to get her.

Stephanie was so friendly and so helpful! She had really great suggestions to improve my query letter and helped me focus on the parts that made it shine. She also had thoughtful, insightful answers for all my questions, and her feedback really made my pitch and comps shine. I would highly recommend a consult with her - she has so many great ideas and really took the time to dig into my query.

Jessica was super nice and thorough. I didn't feel like I was rushed, nor that we missed discussing anything. I'm so happy with my experience!

Superb experience. Alyssa was knowledgeable, professional and invaluable in sharing guidance with me on publishing, my body of work and strategy for future publication. I hope to work with her again in the near future.

Talking with Alyssa was a humbling, grounding experience. Not only did she provide honest feedback on my manuscript, I learned so much about the publishing industry from an agent's perspective. It helped me see my writing from her point of view, and inspired me to work even harder on my submissions. Alyssa was very gracious with her time and I greatly enjoyed our conversation.

Eric was lovely to work with! He listened to my ideas, helped me work out what aspects would and would not work for the market, and even suggested some great comp titles.

Kayla was friendly and helpful, and was keenly appreciative of making the most out of our 10-minute session. She didn't hesitate to praise my writing when it was warranted and offered constructive, applicable feedback for the first 10 pages of my MG steampunk fantasy. We fit in a lot in such a short timeframe but Kayla didn't make our conversation feel rushed or impersonal. It was a truly productive and fun experience.

My consultations with Manuscript Academy faculty have been SO valuable over the past month. I signed up for several, to get multiple opinions and a variety of input. My most recent consultation, this Monday, was with Jennifer Wills from the Seymour Agency. She had both general and very specific commentary on my query that really helped with the final stages of refining that elusive piece of the publishing puzzle. She was also easy to talk to and super supportive. I definitely recommend choosing Jennifer for a live consult!

I had a 10-minute consult with Vivian Lee about my query letter. She gave me very concrete feedback. Having not attended an MFA program, I especially appreciate the opportunity to talk with industry professionals. I also like the 10-minute format because it means both of us have to be precise and focused. Vivian is both. In preparing for our conversation, I had my question ready, and Vivian brought her knowledge to the table. I learned about the industry, while also knowing exactly what to do next with my letter. Thanks so much.

Fiona was fantastic! I loved her knowledge an insights and very helpful, specific tips and strategies. Also, her openness and honesty. She sounds like such a fun, joyful agent to have in your corner. I'll definitely query her, for sure.

These workshops are so reasonably priced, but provide so much value. As a "starving" artist (not really, but it sounds romantic), I appreciate the low costs. The speakers are great, and I always learn so much. Jessica and Julie are great facilitators!

Working with Valentina Woodson as an Accountability Partner has been invaluable to my process. I found myself stuck, and with Valentina's encouragement and excellent advice, I was able to progress to the finishing point--a feat that seemed almost impossible for a long time. She is professional but fun, light-hearted, approachable, and provides thoughtful, well-informed advice. It was this advice that helped me leap over that final hurdle and type the blessed words "THE END!"

I couldn't be happier with Valentina's services, and I would recommend her to anyone in a similar writing "predicament."

His words were kind and gentle and gave me the direction I needed to make my story shine. I highly recommend John Cusick for your next critique.

I would highly recommend both the experience of doing the query consult and doing so with Ms. Kenshole. Not only was she very easy to talk with but she gave me feedback that I could immediately put to use. I also had the opportunity to ask my burning questions. I left the meeting feeling encouraged and hopeful. Whether you’re just starting out or have hit a wall—the ten minute consult could be just the help you need.

Megan Barnard was extremely helpful. She got what I'm doing and spotted the bits I'm fond of. Her advice was insightful and clear. I corrected my first page according to her advice and I'm much happier with it. I felt we had a terrific ten minutes and she seemed to be enjoying herself which is a wonderful compliment.

Great 10 minutes with Rebecca Raskin! She was personable, professional, encouraging, and gave me valuable insights on platform-building, comp titles and networking opportunities, and advice on balancing personal story with prescriptive/informational elements to maintain an emotional connection with readers for a non-fiction project. One of the best 10 minutes I've spent in professional development as a writer. The Manuscript Academy and their faculty are great resources!

I had consultations with both John and Molly Cusick and found them to be wonderful to work with. They're friendly, smart, practical and very knowledgeable. Excellent resources and super pleasant people, too!

The greatest value of spending 10 minutes on the phone with an agent and former editor, was that I could get feedback from someone who is objective and experienced. Whitney provided a few nuggets of advice that were helpful in rewriting my first sentence. She was encouraging and kind. She also helped me think more about comp titles and how to categorize my manuscript.

Eric Smith is so wonderful to consult with! He generously sent some comments before our session so that our time could be maximized when we connected. After speaking with him I made some major changes to my manuscript that I feel have made a big difference. Thanks Eric!

When I won the 30 minute critique and consult with an agent of my choice, I knew I would select Fiona Kenshole. I valued her place in the literary world, especially with picture books. Not only was I impressed with her constructive comments and ideas towards my work, I treasured her tips on 'making my story funny' and engaging for young children.

I am revising and refocusing with new plans and strategies to make my story even more enticing and humorous for the audience.

Thank you, Manuscript Academy, for the opportunity to have this poignant conversation with Fiona Kenshole. It was just what I expected...and more!

I had a 10-minute phone consult with John Cusick and I couldn’t be happier. Talking to John was like being given a pep talk by your favorite coach growing up. That wily coach that knew how to bring out the very best in their players with kindness, compassion, wisdom and a sense of humour. That coach that still has their skin in the game (John is a successful writer) and still knows all the craftiest plays and sneaks. And he knows how to best wrap an injury (even if it’s just your ego). That coach that has you play to your strengths but doesn’t fail to point out your weaknesses. Get some critique coaching from John. You may not win ... but at least you’ll still enjoy playing the game.

Melissa is WONDERFUL! The 10-minutes was packed with great feedback I could implement immediately and then explained WHY she was giving me this feedback. It was so helpful and I’m feeling incredibly refreshed and excited. Thank you so much!

I recently had a consultation with Molly Cusick regarding the first 10 pages of my manuscript. At first I was nervous, as I wasn't sure if she was going to be harsh, and I didn't know what to expect. I'm extemely pleased to say that she was kind, encouraging and provided amazing feedback. All of the ideas she gave for improving my work, had the gears in my head turning and had me thinking- I can't wait to make these changes! Everything she brought up were ways to elevate my pages and strengthen my work, I never felt as if she was cutting my writing down. Aside from the helpful feedback, she made me feel confident about my work, encouraging where the story would fit in the market and going out of her way to answer all of my questions. I never felt rushed out of the conversation, and she was engaging and helpful throughout the whole phone call. It was truly a pleasure having a consultation with her, and I would consider it an honor to ever work with, or recieve feedback from Molly Cusick in the future.

Stephanie was wonderful. Her comments were encouraging and constructive. I was nervous at the start, but within a few minutes I felt like I was talking to a good friend- and a supportive one. I highly recommend her to other writers!

CeCe provided me with immensely helpful feedback that I can readily put to use in my writing efforts. She is as much a teacher as an agent, and artfully provides feedback in an encouraging manner. Be prepared to take notes - CeCe does her homework in advance of the call. She knew my main character well, asked informed questions, and gave me a ton of great ideas to work on. I am so appreciative to have spent time with her discussing my work.

Katharine was unbelievably generous with her time and advice, both on Zoom and via email after her query critique. Her advice was really groundbreaking for me because what I thought was understandable was not to her. She (very patiently and kindly) explained that agents read fast and need simple, chronological accounts. She identified the backbone of my story and got me thinking of how readers will approach my title. She is a gift.

I highly recommend Linda. I’ve done several versions of critiques and edits on various platforms and I’ve found Linda to be the most engaging with great tips and wonderful insights into my writing and characters I didn’t even realize. She was patient and went well past the allotted time. I actually felt bad as 10 minutes became 30 minutes.

I plan on having her critique my next WIP and if my manuscripts were on her MSWL, I’d absolutely query her. I can tell she’s one of the most engaging people and deeply cares about her authors and friends.

Highly recommend her. Although I want to keep her a secret to myself, I know she can help advance your next steps for your WIP.

Jessica did an excellent job answering my questions. I wasn’t sure my first page was the best way to open my manuscript, and Jessica helped guide me. Her feedback was kind, collaborative, and helpful. I appreciated the conversation and her professional insights were super valuable. She also gave me great suggestions for comp titles. Thank you, Jessica!

I did the 10 page + 15 minute consultation with Danielle Chiotti. It was one of the most informative and constructive critiques I've ever received. In 15 minutes, Danielle showed me how to strengthen my first 10 pages. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and most important made me feel good about my writing and story. I'm so glad I did an E-consultation with Danielle, I learned more in 15 minutes about my manuscript than in any writer's workshop I've attended.

This was my third or fourth session with Melissa. As always, a highly productive 15 minutes. She had strong recommendations from the start and her advice is much appreciated.

She gave me SUCH good ideas and completely changed the way I think about writing a query. She also made me feel better about the "rules" and telling the heart of the story.

My conversation with Rebecca Raskin was so helpful. That's two out of two for Manuscript Academy so far on exceeding expectations. What a fabulous opportunity to speak with an editor at Harper Collins. I can't think of any other way that could have happened for me. Rebecca went right to the point, deviated from the script if there even was one, and shared generously not only contacts in the field of publishing who might help me, but her own insights into what will happen to my book AFTER it reaches an editor's desk on the road to acquisition. That's exactly what I needed to know, and it was a gift to get so many answers. It didn't feel rushed; it just was intense. Perfect!!

My meeting with Molly was excellent. She was very conscious of our limited time so made sure from the get-go that she understood what I was hoping to focus on during the meeting. She was so generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise and I left the meeting with a much clearer vision and so much energy and enthusiasm. I highly recommend a meeting with Molly at any stage in your development, she is likely one of the most supportive and helpful publishing professionals you could spend 15 minutes with!

Eric was lovely to work with! He listened to my ideas, helped me work out what aspects would and would not work for the market, and even suggested some great comp titles.

Katharine was gracious with her guidance and generous with her advice. The best conversation with an agent I've ever had! Her tips were spot on and backed up from her substantial experience. I finished feeling that she "got" my memoir and saw the bigger picture for my career as a writer and speaker. I recommend Katharine highly and without reservation.

My 10 minutes with Jessica was great! She is fun and easy to talk to, and her detailed feedback helped strengthen my query letter. Also, her words of encouragement gave me hope at a time of doubt. I love these consultations!

I have an agent! I signed with Emily Forney at BookEnds this morning, on the basis of my roller derby young adult novel, and I'm so excited!

Manuscript Academy made a huge difference in getting me the info I needed and in getting me to take the effort to get published seriously. HUGE shout out to Jessica Sinsheimer and Julie True Kingsley!
.

Samantha's suggestions on improving my first page by adding a little more emotional depth were spot-on. I already took her advice and am confident about querying and having my first pages read by other agents.

Jessica was lovely! Very friendly and informal, but with some good quick insights into my general questions about ages for Upper MG vs young YA. Would definitely recommend.

I submitted a small writing sample prior to my meeting with Hannah. I was a bit anxious as I knew we only had a short time, but she got right down to business. She was extremely helpful with her feedback as well as her insights on new author websites, social media and query letters. I truly appreciated everything she had to say and felt I really benefitted from our time together.

My consultation with Linda was incredible. She was so encouraging and warm, but equally insightful and considered. She asked great questions, which showed that she had thought about the whole story not just the first ten pages. She gave me some fabulous advice to help set the scene in the first chapter and a couple of line edit suggestions, which whilst small will really impact the reader as they engage with the story. I left the call buzzing with energy and enthusiasm and was so grateful for her time and expertise.

Whitney Ross was enormously helpful--in just our 10-minute discussion. She provided specific, insightful suggestions for my query letter--and she did so with real compassion and care. I am grateful for her recommendations and am inspired by her encouragement.

In July when I spoke with Stephanie, she suggested a change to my MS that worked out perfectly so this time, I sent her my query. She was extremely helpful, again! She said I had a wonderful query and gave me two suggestions.

My consultation with Fiona Kenshole was awesome. I scheduled a 15 minute consult w/ the 10 page critique. and I certainly got my money's worth. She gave me great insight into my story, into my own writing tics and provided me with tools for revising my book. She took her time to ensure I understood what I meant. She asked very specific questions about the story. It was clear she took a lot of time reading and digesting the pages. I learned so much from her. This consult was the best thing I've done this year to improve my writing skills. Thank you so much!!!

I had a super session with Stephanie Winter. My novel is dual perspective, and I've struggled trying to get both protagonists stories in the query. But Stephanie provided some great ideas and really helped strengthen my query!

Stephanie gave me so many solid insights into how to make my query solid. She commented on things I'd never even considered and offered guidance on how to move forward with the changes.

She offered clear explanations for why certain things weren't working and also offered plenty of praise for things that were.

Stephanie is very engaging, and I felt fully at ease talking to her. I highly recommend booking her for a consultation.

I would highly recommend both the experience of doing the query consult and doing so with Ms. Kenshole. Not only was she very easy to talk with but she gave me feedback that I could immediately put to use. I also had the opportunity to ask my burning questions. I left the meeting feeling encouraged and hopeful. Whether you’re just starting out or have hit a wall—the ten minute consult could be just the help you need.

Alyssa was fabulous. Asked questions that helped me understand where I am in my development not so much in novel writing but in query skills. She totally helped reframe the plot description so it flows a little better.

Like miracles and angels getting their wings, I am sure every time Fiona Kenshole speaks, another writer gets published. You can't help but level up your writing every time you listen to Fiona; expect to learn 10-12 things that will give you immediate knowledge for how to execute a new awesome plan taking you into your greatness as a writer.

I won a Ten Minutes with an Expert chat from a Facebook live first pages event and was thrilled to find a coveted meeting with Jessica available in July. Unsurprisingly, she was awesome! She didn't mind working through technical issues with me to ensure I had her comments in front of me as we chatted (even though she was running behind schedule and had already had a long day running a Manuscript Academy event), and provided excellent feedback that helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses in my query letter. Now as I rework my blurb, I have high hopes that the finished product will be a lot better thanks to her notes.

Melissa was kind, outgoing, and fun to work with. We discussed the concept and comps, and she gave me feedback on how to improve one paragraph on my first page. I wish we had more than ten minutes; I would definitely enjoy working with her again.

A terrific learning experience. The team took the time to read the first lines of many of the participants and point out their strengths. So helpful to those of us struggling with the "hook!"

At our meeting, Lane Heymont proved himself to be a magician. I filled several pages of notes with his information and insights, yet in the short time he didn't seem the least bit rushed. He answered questions, addressed my doubts, and in the end was encouraging and patient. From my research, I know he's a successful agent; but after our meeting, I know he's a gifted teacher.

My consultation with Valentina was excellent. She had great suggestions specific to me and my situation. Very helpful. It was a real pleasure to talk with her.